The International Court of Justice in The Hague delivered its ruling Friday on South Africa’s accusations of genocide against Gaza by Israel.
The allegations stemmed from Israel’s military campaign launched against Gaza following an attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians.
South Africa brought Israel before the court, contending that it had violated the United Nations Genocide Convention, established in 1948 as a response to the Holocaust.
In its ruling on the emergency measures requested by South Africa, the ICJ called on Israel to take steps to prevent acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip and to allow humanitarian aid into the territory.
The court specified that Israel must utilize all available means to prevent actions that could lead to genocide. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously stated that he would not feel bound by the ICJ’s orders, declaring, “No one will stop us — not The Hague, not the Axis of Evil, and no one else,” in reference to Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
Following Friday’s ruling, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, dismissed the decision, writing “Hague shmague” in a controversial social media post, seemingly mocking the ICJ ruling.
Israel’s actions in Gaza have drawn attention from global powers and led to divisions between Western nations and Arab states. While the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany have supported Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, and other Arab countries have offered moral support to the people of Palestine.